Veiled Chameleon (More...)

Housing
Most chameleons are arboreal (primarily tree-dwelling) and need lots of climbing surfaces. Successful permanent maintenance requires at least a 40 gallon terrarium. A screen lid is essential for proper air exchange. The ideal habitat needs to be spacious, well decorated, and well ventilated without being drafty. A screened enclosure will work the best for a habitat. This habitat can have a glass bottom and front with four sides being screen. The combination of a small ficus tree (Ficus benjamina) and silk plants is excellent in providing the security a chameleon needs. The use of other branches is suggested to increase the options of climbing surfaces. The ideal daytime temperature for veiled chameleons is between 75 and 85 degrees. There should be multiple branches throughout the habitat to allow for the regulation of body temperature. Nighttime temperatures should drop down to 65-75 degrees. Temperature fluctuations are absolutely necessary and their environment should never be hot and stuffy. Additionally, a basking area should be created on one end of the enclosure to maintain a local temperature of 95-100 degrees. This basking area is best achieved with either an incandescent bulb or spotlight basking bulb being placed at one end of the habitat with a "basking-branch" placed underneath. Remember that the basking area does not need to get any hotter than 95 degrees, so a 75 watt bulb should be the maximum wattage used. The ideal humidity range is 50% or higher. This can be achieved through frequent daily misting. Fluorescent ultraviolet light should be provided for 12-14 hours each day. The use of a timer will help to maintain an accurate lighting schedule. A mixture of Bed-A-Beast covered with moist moss or cage carpet is an ideal substrate for adult chameleon terrariums. The substrate should be kept moist to maintain an even humidity level, but changed regularly to avoid bacterial growth. Substrate for young chameleons should allow easy viewing of prey items and waste. This will alert the owner to appetite loss and other possible concerns. Cage carpet works well as a substrate for chameleons under six months of age. It is important to offer food to crickets that are left in the cage with any young reptile. Crickets and other insects will take advantage of any food source, including young animals.